The F-35: Even the Engine Is Compromised (excerpt)
The F-35 promised reach without rival, yet its heart – Pratt & Whitney’s F135 – burns fuel like an older design. Thrust-specific fuel consumption (TSFC) shows why. The F100-PW-229 that powers late-model F-15s and F-16s clocks 0.726 lb/hr/lb. The F135 sits at 0.889 lb/hr/lb, a 22 percent penalty that drags range and keeps tankers busy.
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